Key Takeaways
- Canada announced plans in 2021 to restrict vaping flavors nationwide but has not implemented a national ban.
- Health Minister Marjorie Michel said she is willing to move toward flavor restrictions but did not provide a timeline.
- Nearly one in three Canadians under 25 vaped within the past 30 days.
- Ten percent of Canadian high school students now vape daily.
- A University of Waterloo survey found that 16- to 19-year-olds in provinces with flavor bans reported vaping less.
2Firsts, May 11，2026
According to CBC News, five years after Canada’s federal government announced it would restrict vaping flavors nationwide, Health Minister Marjorie Michel has not said when, or whether, the measure will still happen.
Federal vape flavor restrictions remain pending
Michel told CBC News that she is committed to keeping Canadians informed on next steps and said protecting youth is very important to her.
Public records show that the nicotine and vaping industries have regularly lobbied Health Canada, Liberal ministers and members of Parliament. Reports describe meetings seeking assurances that the federal government will not implement a flavor ban.
When repeatedly asked whether Ottawa still plans to restrict flavors, Michel said she is willing to move in that direction. She did not provide a timeline for a decision, saying only “as soon as possible” and that she has hope.
Health groups have long called for national restrictions
Canada’s chief public health officers, along with health organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society and Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada, have called on Ottawa to introduce national flavor restrictions for years.
The report said the Liberals have repeatedly promised to do so, including as recently as last spring’s election.
In 2021, Health Canada announced it planned to limit vaping flavors nationwide to mint, menthol and tobacco, citing evidence that fruity and sweet flavors appeal to youth.
Canada has high youth vaping rates
The report said Canada has one of the highest youth vaping rates in the world, with nearly one in three Canadians under the age of 25 vaping within the past 30 days. Ten percent of high school students now vape daily.
Vaping is less harmful than cigarettes and has been shown to help some adult smokers quit, although Health Canada has never approved vaping for that purpose. In 2024, one in five Canadians who quit smoking said they did so with vaping.
The report said the long-term health impacts of vaping are still being studied, but health risks have been identified, including lung damage. Health Canada says there are more than 1,500 unique chemicals found in vaping products and liquids.
Most Canadian vapers are under 25
The report said most Canadians who vape are under 25 and have never smoked. Instead, vaping is often a young person’s first introduction to highly addictive nicotine and makes them more likely to become a cigarette smoker.
Ottawa has had regulations ready for two years, but the federal government has not introduced them, citing concerns that a ban could trigger an illicit market. The report said this is also a common argument made by nicotine lobbyists.
Michel now appeared to argue that provinces and territories need to be on board first.
She said she is working closely with provincial and territorial counterparts to see what they can do together and that she needs to make sure everybody agrees. Michel could not say who disagrees with a ban beyond the vaping industry.
Provincial bans are linked to lower youth vaping
While Ottawa has not introduced its promised ban, some jurisdictions in Canada have done so, including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.
New research from the Youth Tobacco and Vaping Survey, conducted through the University of Waterloo School of Public Health Sciences, suggests flavor bans may be associated with reduced youth vaping rates.
The survey examined 42,500 Canadians aged 16 to 19 and found that those living in provinces with flavor bans reported vaping less. The data suggested no significant change in the youth smoking rate, a concern the vaping industry had warned would occur if flavors were removed.
Researchers said a national ban would be more effective
David Hammond, the lead researcher of the survey, said the data suggests removing flavors is a simple way to curb youth appeal without preventing adult smokers from accessing vapes to quit cigarettes.
Hammond said vaping is less harmful, cheaper and does not smell. He said the difference is that flavors matter more to kids than to adult smokers who might be trying e-cigarettes to quit. He said removing candy flavors would still leave many products available for adult smokers.
Another study of 3,000 Canadian teens and young adults by Michael Chaiton at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is still under review, but is aligning with Hammond’s survey findings. Chaiton said flavor regulations were associated with reduced use of vaping products and no spillover into smoking.
He said actual flavors make very little difference in how well vaping works to help someone quit smoking, but were the reason many young people tried vaping in the first place.
Patchwork provincial rules are difficult to enforce
Both researchers said the patchwork of provincial bans is proving difficult to enforce, especially when people can order flavored vaping products online from a province without restrictions.
Chaiton said a national ban would be much more effective.
The report said that while Ottawa has failed to act on vaping flavors, there is precedent: just one year after nicotine pouches entered the Canadian market, former Health Minister Mark Holland used his powers to ban sweet flavors.
Industry said flavor bans may fuel illicit markets
Hammond said the nicotine industry has an incentive to keep flavors because vaping and nicotine pouches are helping grow its market for the first time in decades.
The Canadian Vaping Association told CBC News in a statement that flavor bans risk creating new challenges for governments, including proliferation of unregulated products, reduced consumer safety, loss of tax revenue and increased pressure on enforcement agencies.
The industry also argues that some adult smokers switch to less harmful vaping because they like the taste.
Image Source: CBC News
We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.
Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn
Notice
1. This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.
2. The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.
3. This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.
4. Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.
Copyright
This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.
For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com
AI Assistance Disclaimer
This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.
We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com
